


Daring Trust

by gemsofformenos



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Confidence, F/M, Isolation, Loneliness, New Hope, TeZula, Understanding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:42:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28570959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gemsofformenos/pseuds/gemsofformenos
Summary: Trust... Trust is for fools. And Azula has learned the hard way that even trust in fear or her own strength was a lie. So she has left her old self behind. But now this young man in his wheelchair seems to wake a long lost trust in her fire...
Relationships: Azula/Teo (Avatar)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 8





	Daring Trust

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TalesOfOnyxBats](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalesOfOnyxBats/gifts).



> I already sent this story to you for Christmas but finally I found the time to upload and gift it here to you as well. Thank you TalesOfOnyxBats for being the wonderful friend you are.

Trust.

It’s always hard to learn to trust again when it got once cracked and shaken to the bones and Azula’s trust has been crushed and maimed badly and the remaining got grind up to dust which got blow away in this hurricane of emotions which have left her weak, defenseless and ashamed.

Trust.

It has always been for fools and Azula knew that she was just one of them. She wasn’t better than Zuko, the Avatar or any of her former allies. All of them have trusted in someone like she has at some time only to see this trust getting burned to ashes and ruins. Trust in the love of her mother, the support of her brother and friends or the pride and care of her father. Every time she has dared to trust in someone they have only crushed all of her hopes. Fear has seemed to be the only way to achieve her goals. She has trusted in fear.

Trust.

It has needed a shameful defeat where Azula has been a pathetic display of her failure, soaked to her skin and bound to a rusty grate weeping like a broken little girl to show her the bitter irony. The blindness before the truth which has been laying before her.

She has trusted in fear.

She has trusted in her abilities.

She has trusted to be strong.

She has trusted herself.

Trust… Trust was for fools and Azula knew that she was a fool all the time. Maybe the biggest fool.

Azula was sure that she has seen the truth finally. It has helped her to handle the infirmary. It has lead her out of it some years later back home to Zuko. It has helped her to find her place in this changing world. Azula knew that she couldn’t trust herself.

She was much quitter now, not frightened by others but shy and reluctant. Her sharp eye and sense of situation was proving her every day that she was right with her conclusion that she shouldn’t trust herself cause she noticed that people didn’t trust her. She was tolerated and in Zuko’s case she was sure that he really cared for her and worried for her still he didn’t trust her and Azula preferred to leave it this way. It was the safer option.

Like it was safer not to start with her training again. Firebender have to be in control. Firebender have to be calm. Firebender have to be strong. Firebender have to trust in their abilities.

But trust… Trust was for fools.

Sometimes Azula watched her brother train from the distance. She could feel the heat of the flames and the flow of his chi. It gave her bitter stings in her heart to know that she wasn’t as strong as him to feel her own flame again. She couldn’t trust in her ability to control the flame and her emotions.

The library became her new home somehow. The scrolls and books were patient and they helped to leave the emptiness aside for some time. Her brother ordered the staff to prepare her a quiet place for reading. Zuko seemed to hope to wake her interest sometimes by placing some reports on her desk from time to time. She read them all but never commented any of them and remained quiet the few times he has asked her about her opinion.

Trust… Trust was for fools.

And she has been a fool to expect that people would leave her alone for good. Cause one day she had to share her quiet corner with a new face. The young man in his wheelchair was using her desk reading old scrolls about the Airtemples and the Air Nomads. Azula was about to leave but he simply smiled at her and wheeled aside to give her some space to take place. Azula just nodded at him but repressed the sigh. She has learned long ago that she’d be a fool to refuse such an offer. It would only lead to arguments and so she took place at her desk and the young man returned to his scrolls in silence but he took care to give her enough space for the books and papers she has chosen to read today. Her patience got rewarded cause the man packed up his stuff half an hour later bowing a bit as a goodbye.

The real surprise was that he showed up two hours later with a kettle of warm tea, a bowl of cherries and some new scrolls. Azula observed him suspiciously out of the corner of her eyes. The man took a little folding table from the side of his wheelchair and placed the kettle, two cups and the bowl on it but he only poured in one cup for himself. The smell of honey and jasmine filled the air and seemed to hug Azula instantly. He snacked a cherry and started to read in his scrolls making some notes on another one from time to time.

Azula looked up from her papers and frowned at him. The young man just smiled at her again for a moment but returned to his work. Azula finally took the kettle and poured herself a cup as well. The tea was really good and she enjoyed the heat and flavor of it. She must have sighed a bit after her first gulp cause she noticed the lips of the man slightly curving up and he seem to suppress a warm snicker as she wasn’t able to stop herself from rolling her eyes a bit. He just offered her the bowl of cherries and Azula ate some as well after a little hesitation. She dared to raise an eyebrow since all of them were without pits but it did made sense to her on a second thought. Pit spitting within the library didn’t seem to be a good idea. The warm smile which rushed over the man’s face at her reaction still was surprisingly genuine.

And so the rest of the day went by in silence. The man offered her a second cup as he prepared himself a new fill and Azula accepted with a nod. The tea was a bit too cold now for Azula’s taste but since she has decided to stop bending there was nothing she could do to warm it up again. The little frown of the man beside her gave Azula a strange tickle down her spine but against her expectation he decided to leave her choice not to heat up the cup again uncommented. The bowl and the cup were empty by evening and the man finally packed up everything and bowed again in his wheelchair to say goodbye. Azula’s eyes followed him turning away from the desk.

“You’re new around here.”

The man stopped and turned back to Azula. His smile was warm but Azula noticed that his breath has become a bit faster. There was a genuine joy and excitement glowing in his eyes and Azula cursed herself slightly for being too curious in the end.

“In a few days I’m not.”

There was an impish spark in his voice at his answer and the laughter which escaped his mouth was like some long missed sunshine on Azula’s soul. It was filled with this joy she has seen in his eyes at her quote and he wheeled a bit closer to Azula to face her questioning look.

“Thank you for this wonderful day Princess Azula.”

Trust was for fools.

But the man became her quiet permanent company at the library during the next two weeks. Teo was his name and Azula found out that he was creating the new Airtemple for Cranefish Town. Obviously the temple should honor the old traditions of the Air Nomads but Azula noticed countless sketches where he has worked in aspects and inspirations of other Nation’s architecture.

Teo’s company was comforting beside the fact that they barely spoke a word but the bright smile which greeted her every day, the little snacks and tea he organized for them and his confusing honest gratitude when he kept thanking her for the nice day became a pleasant routine.

But Trust was for fools.

And so Azula felt a bitter sting as she found his place vacant one morning. She has started to trust to find him at her desk every day but the cold empty space which greeted her this morning was another prove how foolish she has been. Azula returned to her room and she kept herself buried under blankets and pillows to let the pain fade. She ignored the silent knock at her door. She didn’t even mustered the strength to feel offended as someone finally entered but it took her off guard as she noticed Zuko’s footsteps. Azula retreated deeper under the cover of her blanket. She noticed a sheet of paper being placed on her bed beside her.

“Teo has trusted in your routine to read your letters at first that’s why his one was on top.”

The Princess felt a soothing hand on her shoulder and a slight squeeze. Her brother left the room with a sigh and Azula kept hugging one of her pillows. She didn’t know how much time has passed until she finally dug herself out of the pile of blankets to take a look at the paper but her eyes jumped wide as she read the first lines.

* * *

Teo hated to be sick. Well technically he wasn’t sick but still the injury kept him bound to bed. He has been sleeping a lot during the day but now at the late evening he was finally tired of sleeping and resting but his condition kept him down. His head was still aching and pounding and any movement made him slightly dizzy. The scraps, cuts and bruises weren’t pleasant as well but worst of all was the broken arm which was resting in a sling. Of course it had to be his writing hand which was affected. He’d lose some weeks until he’d be able to draw and write again. At least the bed in his room was comfortable and he’d have much more time to read. Maybe he could try to dictate some ideas to a servant. A little knock at his door ripped him out of his thoughts.

“Come in.”

Teo’s face got confused a servant entered with an apologizing face.

“I am sorry to disturb your rest but it wouldn’t take long.”

The man waved at some persons outside of the room and instantly more servants showed up to bring a big desk and a chair into Teo’s room. The desk got placed beside Teo’s bed and soon scrolls and books followed. The last thing which was brought in was a folding table, a kettle with tea, two cups and a bowl of cherries. A warm smile approached on Teo’s face as Azula entered the room. She checked the setup carefully and finally nodded to the servant who has entered Teo’s room first. The man bowed deep before the Princess and left in silence. Azula turned to the man who has did his best to sit up in bed to face her with his warm smile. He tapped beside him at the edge of his bed with his good hand and after an awkward moment of hesitation Azula dared to take place. The face of the young man seemed to glow in open joy about her reaction. It was sending a strange tickle down Azula’s spine and she could feel her cheeks blushing a bit.

“Sorry for giving you a scare. Seems it was a bad idea to try to visit the old shrines on the edge of the crater for inspiration.”

Azula rolled her eyes and her look fell on the broken and scattered wheelchair in the corner of the room.

“It was a bad idea to try it without proper preparations for this trip.”

The chuckle which escaped Teo’s mouth intensified the warm tickle which has now found its home in Azula’s tummy and she could feel her heart beating faster as the man carefully took her hand. He started to stroke the back of hers with his thumb. Azula winced a bit at his touch in surprise but her golden eyes wandered back to the warm and happy smile Teo was gifting her.

“Thank you for spending me company Princess Azula.”

She could feel her cheeks blushing even more and Teo squeezed her hand thankfully.

“It’s wonderful to see your fire burning.”

Confusion rushed over Azula’s face and she turned away.

“I’m not using my fire anymore, I…”

A slight sign of anger came to her face as Teo dared to turn her back and pride was shown in his look. He shook his head with another chuckle and winced a bit before he spoke again.

“You do. I’ve seen it in your eyes since some days when we met at the library. I can see it now and… I love it. It’s… it’s beautiful.”

Azula felt her stomach twist in a confusing but pleasant way. Teo gestured at the desk the servants have brought to his room.

“This idea. I love it. It’s so wonderful. You must have convinced the doctors to allow it and how else could you have managed to convince them if not with this wonderful fire which is burning in you?”

His grip on her hand grew a bit stronger.

“I knew you’d come to visit me.”

Azula felt her throat tighten a bit. She tried her best to fight the prickle in her eyes.

“How’d you know… peasant?”

Azula took a quick breath in surprise as she noticed the open joy and excitement glowing in Teo’s eyes at the insult. The man’s face showed determination.

“Because you care for others.”

Azula noticed her eyes getting wet and she shook her head.

“No one trusts me.”

Teo’s grip got firmer and he shook his head again ignoring the dizziness which was coming back to him.

“I do. I do trust in your care for me. I do trust in you… Azula.”

Azula tried twice to answer but failed poorly. She was aware of her pathetic display cause she felt the wet lines on her cheeks but she couldn’t turn away from these warm glowing orbs of the man in front of her. Her voice was teary whisper.

“Then you’re a fool.”

Teo’s look was so strong and confident and the sudden spark of hope in his eyes was flooding her with an heat which prickled under her skin. He pointed at a candle on his nightstand.

“Maybe with a little light you can see what I see.”

Azula felt her heartbeat picking up more speed but she also noticed the soothing rubs of Teo’s thumb on the back of her hand again. There was so much warmth and honesty in his eyes.

But trust was for fools and this gentle young man seemed to be a king of fools since he has searched and enjoyed her company form the start. Only a fool would dare to trust her again. Azula took a deep breath...

The little blue spark of the candlelight was sending the most pleasant shiver down her spine. She hasn’t felt her chi floating like this since years and to feel the little heartbeat of the flame while the color slowly changed into the warming orange was soothing and exhilarating. Azula released a little gasp of pleasure as she faced the flickering candle. She noticed Teo sitting up completely and the man got close to her as best he could. He dared to pull her at his side and rested his head at Azula’s. She could feel the warmth he was radiating and the tears which were in his eyes as he watched the candle burning with her.

She was a fool as well to dare this again, to break all the promises she has made to herself. Teo’s voice ripped her out of her thoughts.

“As I said. Beautiful.”

Both kept observing the candle burning side by side while Azula’s hand were resting in Teo’s. She tensed up a bit as a servant entered the room an hour later but Teo’s smile kept her in place and so the man simply left in silence. It wasn’t a surprise that Zuko showed up half an hour later. Azula wasn’t pleased about this disturbance until he just placed a hand on her shoulder to spend her an supportive squeeze. He had tears in his eyes as she finally decided to give him a little warning glare she hasn’t gifted him in ages.

“I’ll send dinner up here for you two in an hour.”

She could feel her brother’s joy as she pointed with her eyes towards the door and it elicited Azula a warm smile as a goodbye for him.

She was a fool to trust in this feelings but to feel Teo’s hand holding hers while both kept watching the candle burning gifted her confidence. It was only a candle but it was a start. And Teo seemed to have the patience and trust that she could find her fire again. Maybe this time she could be a lucky fool.


End file.
